Kakistocrat

There are five main areas of interest that have captivated the minds of those desiring change in the Church. Here is a brief overview of what these general categories (as identified by John Allen) may encompass, and as the categorization comes from a Western perspective, understand that not all issues addressed may reflect the universal reality of the Church.

1. Collegiality in the Church

Collegiality refers to the relationship between the Pope, the Roman Curia (the bureaucracy inside the Vatican), and the world’s bishops. Collegiality debates center around the criticism that both the Pope and the Roman Curia enjoy more power today than they ever did in Church history. A desire to shift some of that power back to local bishops is supported by the early Christian notion that though Peter was "the first among equals," he was still among equals. The Pope today, though seen by Catholics as Peter’s successor, is not seen as being among equals with his fellow Bishops. Believing this to be a mistake, some individuals recognize that though more power on the Bishops would not transform the Church into a democracy, it would democratize decision-making to a degree, and certainly may prevent past misdeeds from reoccurring.

2. Ecumenism and Inter-Religious Dialogue

People who disagree with each other often still have to live side-by-side. Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Dialogue center around how best the Church should interact with other Christian churches as well as the non-Christian religions of the world. Church relations with Islam are specifically important as Islam is growing in many areas traditionally Catholic. Relations with the Jewish people always appear fragile, especially in light of the potential canonization of Pope Pius XII.  Relations with other Christians and the Eastern religions are also hotly debated subjects, and there are those desiring to see changes in certain approaches taken.

3. Globalization, Poverty and Justice

No one was a more vigorous champion for human rights than Pope John Paul II, who defended the right to freedom of religion, thought and speech, and emphased these freedoms in the very places where they were being suppressed at a governmental level.

‘Culture of Life’ issues also figure prominently in this category. Issues such as abortion, poverty, war, capital punishment, euthanasia are all issues that the Church will have to continually address.

4. Bioethics, Sexuality and the Family

Some of the issues encompassed under this heading have a history too them, and have been debated for some time, though not to the satisfaction of everyone. Issues would include the use of artificial birth control methods (which the Church forbids), or what to do with those Catholics who have divorced and remarried civilly, despite the Church disapproval, and whether the sacrament of Communion should be administered to them. Some tensions are more recent like technological advancements such as cloning or artificial reproduction, or the recognition of marriages between homosexual couples. Continuing debate around the nature of in-vitro fertilization or what moral response should be given to those to discard surplus embryos or desire to use them for research that could potentially contribute to the betterment of others, will continue to generate interest as the Church currently opposes much that has been endorsed by Western nations.

5. Women and the Laity

Given priest shortages in certain regions, and that this trend has not completely reversed itself, debate that centers around how to extend the Church’s ministerial corps will not be silenced. Two solutions have been suggested by not just a few. Because the Church is seen as restricting a large number of potential priests, by restricting married men admittance, some have suggested that the Church revert its policy back to that which existed in the ancient days when priests were allowed to marry. Others, even more controversially, have suggested that the Church extend the priesthood to women, and allow for their ordination.

Beyond the clergy, in may parts of the world the laity essentially run churches, by organizing the liturgy as well as delivering a variety of services, that while not actually Masses, still do fall under the branch of ministry. This reality bothers others who feel that this has brought about a great deal of confusion with regards to the identity of the priesthood.

As we move closer to Vatican III, what would you like to see reaffirmed, clarified or changed?

I was not planning on posting again this week but in light of several developments, I changed my mind.

US Supreme Court Upholds Ban on Controversial Abortion Procedure

Today Justice Anthony Kennedy voted alongside Justices Scalia, Thomas, Roberts and Alito affirming that the Constitution permits a nationwide pan on the partial birth abortion procedure. The majority decision, written by Kennedy, claimed that the Partial Birth Abortion Act, signed into law in 2003, does not violate a woman’s constitutional right to an abortion.

Once the law takes effect, doctors who violate the law could face up to two years in a federal prison.

Dr. LeRoy Carhart, who challenged the federal ban (Gonzalez v. Carhart) claimed "I am afraid the Supreme Court has just opened the door to an all-out assault on [1973’s Roe v. Wade]."

I doubt it, but here’s hoping.

Virginia Tech Shootings

I was a little bit surprised by the number of Christian people blogging about the Virginia Tech massacre and rather than actually showing solidarity with the victims and the families of the victims, instead went into philosophical discussions about the nature of God, attempting to reconcile competing realities (God as all-knowing, all-good, all-powerful; evil’s existence…).

Rabbi Harold Kushner has written the modern classic on God and suffering. His own son, upon birth, was diagnosed with progeria, a rapid aging disease. Kushner was told that his son would never grow beyond three feet, not grow hair, would look like an old man as a child, and would die in his teens.

All occurred as was said and Kushner notes that when he sought out solace in the literature on suffering almost all seemed "more concerned with defending God’s honour, with logical proof that bad is really good and that evil is necessary to make this a good world, than they were with curing the bewilderment and the anguish of the parent of a dying child."

In contrast to those whom Kushner speaks against, and I believe more appropriately than those who simply use a tragic event to further a theo/philosophical discussion (as I believe a number of well-intended bloggers have done), Providence simply posted around the campus:

Today, a lone gunman killed at least 32 people in dorm and other places on the Virginia Tech campus before being killed himself.

A short email has been sent by the Student Council to the School expressing our sympathies. Please continue to pray for these people.

What do you think: Does God really need his honor defended, when his created beings suffer and are in need of solace?

K.

Pope Benedict XVI turns 80 today.

In April of 2005, the Globe and Mail introduced to its readers, the new Pope, Benedict the Strict, characterizing him as an uncompromising doctrinal hardliner. Two years later, besides his notorious love of cats (which will be masterfully re-documented in coming weeks) it is his emerging status as Italy’s newest fashion celebrity that has dominated the press since.

When Cardinal Ratzinger emerged as the succsessor to John Paul II, and (as is the custom) appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, he was wearing his newly given Papal cassock, but none of the three ready ones had fitted him correctly. Thus, making his first appearance to some 350, 000 people congregating in the Square below, Benedict XVI’s cassock hovered slightly above his ankles. Since then, Anniballe Gammarelli (whose firm has been making papal cassocks since 1792) has been locked in a struggle with not only Raniero Mancinelli (the owner of a small shop of more loose fitting cassocks, which has been in operation for approximately 20 years), but also Alessandro Cattaneo, a tailor whom the Pope benefited from as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger.

Despite these controversial Cassock Wars, it is a pair of stylish red loafers recently donned by this emerging 80 year old fashion icon, which have allowed him to leap past a number of luminaries on current ’Most Fashionable Celebrity’ lists. Recently christened ‘Prada Pope’ by sloppy CNN journalism, a senior Vatican official notes that the bright red loafers, given noteworthy attention by most major newspapers, were not made by Prada, but rather the Pope’s personal cobbler.

Concerning his newfound popularity in the world of fashion, one Vatican official notes that the Pope is "aware of the buzz but mostly he laughs about it because it is so absurd. What does he really have to choose? He doesn’t wear a tie or a coat. The glasses he wears are the same that he wore as a Cardinal, as is the pen he writes with."

While mostly true (Vatican officials, usually priests, do not lie as a rule) much that we have seen on Ratzinger the Pope, we did not see on Ratzinger the Cardinal. So while his glasses might be the same ones he wore as a Cardinal, last June as he was traveling through the streets of Rome to meet Italian President Carlo Ciampi he was pictured wearing an oversized pair of designer Sergenti sunglasses, and those we did not see on Ratzinger the Cardinal.

Despite this "the loudest shrieks of glee" came five days before last Christmas. For his weekly general audience, the Pope entered St. Peter’s Square wearing a red velvet cap, which to CNN’s untrained eye, combined with the fact that it was so close to Christmas, was quickly dubbed ‘the Santa hat.’ The ‘Santa Hat’ (actually a camauro for both of you still reading) dates back to the eleventh century, and it has not been seen since 1963 on John XXIII, who so loved it that his body wears it in death. While the ‘Santa Hat’ placed smiles on even the most hardened of cynics, the papal court was unimpressed. ‘You don’t hide your best asset!’ one Vatican insider fumed, referring to the Pope’s stock of white hair, hair that has earned him the kindly moniker His Fluffiness.

Marjorie Weeke, formerly of the Vatican Social Communication office, dismisses any notion of vanity in the Pope’s habits by citing his humble manner of living, and attributing his choice of a variety of capes and haps (which are part of a very ancient Papal closet) to nothing more than a desire for warmth. This would explain a number of quilted jackets and sweaters that the Pope has allowed himself to be seen in, and considering his age, as well as the fact that he must have more pressing concerns than that of his physical appearance, Weeke’s argument comes across quite strongly. So while the Devil may wear Prada, rest assured that the Pope does not!

K.

Ethicist Margaret Somerville’s states that in science, ethics involves a combination of the mystical (which shows the many realities that, though not perceived directly by our senses, are still very much there [love, hate, happiness, sadness…], the moral (which allows for the assessment of right and wrong, or good and evil, by giving access to another domain that is equally intangible [the human conscience] and finally, the scientific. She gives the term ethical imagination to encompass all three of these very different types of imaginations.

Somerville notes how some do not recognize the legitimacy of certain imaginations (especially the mystical realm which may seem anathema to certain scientifically minded individuals). She relates a conversation with the co-discoverer to the DNA, James Watson, who told her, ‘The problem with you, Margo, is that you are full of mystical nonsense.’ Relating the conversation to Father Ronald Rohlheiser, Rohlheiser responded that while certainly mystical nonsense can and does occur, perhaps an even greater danger is to be mystically tone-deaf.

A lot of people who diminish elements of thought that others find value in, believe that they are somehow in the know. Somerville writes: "The older I get, the more I become sure of only one thing: we understand a lot less than we think, and the mystics like John of the Cross got it right when they said, ‘Learn to understand more by not understanding than by understanding.’ Somerville goes on to state:

I’ve watched fascinated as [a colony of ants] go about their work and lives, often building complex structures that rival the Egyptian pyramids in architecture and geographic orientation. That colony is their universe. And yet we humans know that there is another universe beyond theirs, the universe that we comprehend [Margaret Somerville, The Ethical Imagination, 10-11]…

There is much that we humans feel we know, but if it is possible that their can be more to an ant’s universe than their hill, perhaps also there is more to our own universe than we know.

K.